The Boston Behemoth is facing a lawsuit from an executive who claims she was discriminated against after she returned from maternity leave two years ago.

Former Fidelity Investments Institutional Services Company (FIIS) regional vice president Jennifer McElroy accuses Fidelity [profile] of passing her over for a previously promised promotion, moving her into a worse job, and cutting her commissions after she returned from four months of maternity leave last year. Narragansett, Rhode Island-based McElroy sued FIIS and Fidelity Financial Advisor Solutions in Providence/Bristol County Superior Court in her home state on June 9 [see a pdf of the state court record, and last week (July 10) the case went federal, moving to the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island [see pdfs of the notice of removal and the civil cover sheet].

MFWire could not immediately reach McElroy's attorney, Stephen Fanning of Providence, for comment on the suit. Fidelity spokesman Vin Loporchio declined to comment on the suit itself.

"Over the decades, we have provided thousands of Fidelity employees with maternity, parental, and other family leaves," Loporchio tells MFWire. "We take pride in providing a supportive and inclusive work environment for all employees."

McElroy went on maternity leave in March 2013, returned in July 2013, and ultimately departed from Fidelity in June 2014.

McElroy's complaint claims that Fidelity folk told her that the reassignment was temporary, then later implied that "she would be terminated" if she didn't stick with it. She had worked at Fidelity for 10 years.

The only update in the case since the change in court venue last Friday came three days later, when U.S. Magistrate Judge Lincoln Almond recused himself from the case. U.S. District Judge Mary Lisi now presides over the case. 

Edited by: Neil Anderson, Managing Editor


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